Address: 7 Rue du Bourg l'Abbé, Paris, 75003, France
Tel: +33.142770707
Website: view Les Bains Paris’ website
Instagram: lesbainsparis
Facebook: view Les Bains Paris’ Facebook page
Style: Hotel bar, Lounge bar, Nightclub, Historic
Few Paris nightspots can claim a history quite as colourful as Les Bains Douches. The address began life in 1885 as Les Bains Guerbois, an upmarket bathhouse frequented by the fashionable, artistic and literary circles of Belle Époque Paris. Almost a century later, the same building would find fame for an altogether different form of indulgence.
Les Bains Douches opened as a nightclub in 1978, combining a restaurant, concert venue, bar and dancefloor beneath one roof. A young Philippe Starck was responsible for its striking black-and-white interior, including the chequerboard floor that became one of the club's visual signatures.
It quickly developed into one of the defining addresses of Parisian nightlife. Punk, new wave, fashion, art and celebrity collided here, with live performances by acts including Joy Division and Depeche Mode helping establish its musical credentials. Over the years, its dancefloor and parties attracted an extraordinary roll call of musicians, actors, designers, models and artists, among them David Bowie, Andy Warhol, Mick Jagger, Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell and Karl Lagerfeld.
After its glory years, the venue declined and eventually closed in 2010 as problems with the building itself made its continuation untenable. Rather than allowing the address to disappear, owner Jean-Pierre Marois oversaw an extensive reinvention. In 2015 it returned as Les Bains Paris, a five-star hotel incorporating a restaurant, bars and, importantly, a nightclub.
The incarnation may have changed, but reminders of its past remain. The basement still houses the club, while the celebrated black-and-white dancefloor and swimming-pool heritage ensure the ghosts of Les Bains Douches' famously decadent nights are never very far away.
Join the discussion
There are no comments for Les Bains Paris.